A known HID lamp 10 as illustrated in FIG. 1 for use in an automotive headlight comprises a burner 12 with a discharge vessel 14 where light is generated by means of a discharge arc provided between the tips of a first electrode 16 and a second electrode 18 both terminating in the discharge vessel 14. The discharge vessel 14 is protected by a glass body 20. The glass body 20 of the burner 12 comprises a shaft 22 which is inserted into a socket 24. The first electrode 16 is led out of the proximal end of the shaft 22 in axial direction. Due to the shaft 22 a sufficient insulation is provided preventing a high voltage discharge between the first electrode 16 at the proximal end of the shaft 22 and the second electrode 18 which is also led into the socket 24 (not illustrated). A comparable burner is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,731,076 B1.
There is a permanent need of optimizing the required building space of automotive headlights.